Inaction by Congress and the White House on the federal debt ceiling could derail the fragile U.S. economic recovery, spurring a second recession and adversely impacting cement shipments, according to a recent Portland Cement Association report.
Read MoreYear: 2011
Cement Totals
Total shipments of portland and blended cement in the United States and Puerto Rico were about 5.7 million mt in April 2011, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This was 14% lower compared with shipments for April 2010. Total shipments for the year through April were approximately 18.3 million mt, about 2% lower than the same period in 2010.
Read MorePCA files briefs addressing challenge to EPA NESHAP, other rules
The Portland Cement Association filed legal briefs with the District of Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals addressing the cement industry’s challenge to the portland cement national emission standard for hazardous air pollutants (NESHAP). The NESHAP rule was finalized by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in September 2010 (75 Fed. Reg. 54970). It establishes new, very stringent standards addressing particulate…
Read MoreTXI announces executive management reorganization
Dallas-based Texas Industries, Inc. announced changes to its executive management team to support the implementation of its long-term strategy. Jamie Rogers has been named vice president and chief operating officer and will report to Mel Brekhus, president and CEO. Rogers previously served as Vice President–Consumer Products for the company and has been with TXI since 1996.
Read MoreCampaign advances life-cycle budgeting in infrastructure policy
A two-week print and online Portland Cement Association ad campaign, themed “What Are the Real Costs” and targeted to political and policy opinion leaders in Washington, D.C., aims to elevate cradle-to-grave project cost factors in transportation and infrastructure funding. The ads appeared through July 1 in Rollcall and CQ Daily print editions and in Rollcall, National Journal, and Engineering News-Record…
Read MoreLehigh Hanson plants celebrates safety milestone
At a recent meeting of its cement plant managers, Hanson recognized four of its North American cement plants for having zero lost-time incidents in 2010. In the U.S., the Lehigh Hanson cement plants in Glens Falls, N.Y., Leeds, Ala., and Waco, Texas, all operated last year without a single accident that resulted in an employee missing time at work. In…
Read MoreGreen Building Materials report predicts concrete value up $11 billion by 2015
Demand for green building materials is projected to expand 13% annually to $71.1 billion in 2015, slightly outpacing the growth of building construction expenditures over that period as green materials continue to account for an increasing share of materials used. These and other trends are presented in Green Building Materials, a new study from Cleveland-based market researcher The Freedonia Group,…
Read MoreLafarge emphasizes transportation, mobile equipment during Health & Safety Month
Each June, Lafarge North America facilities across the continent and at its sister company sites around the world celebrate Health & Safety Month, renewing the company’s commitment to the health and safety of their employees, contractors, families and local communities with a month’s worth of awareness-raising activities and events. From healthy meals and fitness challenges to educational safety programs and…
Read MoreHolcim attributes price bump to energy, EPA-compliance costs
Holcim (US) Inc. of Waltham, Mass., announced cement price increases effective August 1, citing burgeoning energy and operating costs, plus outlays associated with anticipated environmental regulations covering mills and air pollution controls.
Read MoreWhite cement, slag mix doubles High Concrete panels’ solar reflectance
Denver-based High Concrete Group has introduced a mix design that is said to significantly improve the heat reflectance of precast concrete surfaces, causing them to stay cooler by reversing the urban heat island effect. The mix imparts a solar reflective index (SRI) of 82 in finished products, nearly double that of the company’s conventional gray concrete mixes.
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